Author's Notes: Due to my sheer stupidity all of my stories, RPGs, and webpages as well as some school work on my memory stick is busted. I am still in the process of seeing if I can find someone to help without charging me 1500. I am not happy. Also, I have a lot planned for the next several chapters it's just difficult to get it down. So forgive me for being unable to really describe fight scenes and for taking months to update, I'll try to get better. Also, I want to thank DarkRavie for staying with me this long.
Disclaimer/Warnings: From now on I will only post these on the first chapter. I don't want to fill up the chapters with these things and annoy you, the readers. Sound fair?
"Family Ties"
By: Beloved Shadow of Light
- Let the Finals Begin! -
"Now, let the first match begin!!"
"You. Will. Die."
"As you say, Gaara-san."
Both young men stared at one another, the tension slowly filling the arena, reaching out to choke the audience yet it was broken when the gourd on Gaara's back shifted, the golden grains swirling before shooting out at his enemy. Sasori jumped back but he felt the sand tear at his shoulders. He jumped to the side and spared a glance to notice the sand had formed into shurikens and while they were not like typical weapons they could still do damage.
"I am impressed, Gaara-san. I wouldn't have thought to use sand as a weapon," he said calmly from his crouched position.
Jaded colored eyes narrowed and fists clenched as the sand swirling angrily around his feet, tendrils lashing out at the crouched figure as countless shurikens were hurled repeatedly. Shiruba was his sister and no one was going to take her away from him, no one was going to disturb his happy family, no one!
The red-headed puppet master said nothing as he continued to jump and dodge the sand-made weapons. He knew his life was in danger and given the opportunity his opponent would not hesitate in killing him. But that was what he wanted. If he grew anger enough he would lose focus, making it easier to get him in the position that he wanted. He really had no care for the mission the kazekage had given to them before they left Suna and even less for their leader and team. He jumped high into the air and reached into his cloak, wrapping his hands around a scroll he was taken by surprise when the sand surged up from the ground and held him tightly but instead of panicking he just smiled.
"Are you happy that you're about to die?" Gaara growled deeply.
"Who said I was going to die?" came the reply. A flash of smoke was seen and the figure of the young man was replaced by that of a large puppet, bigger than the one Lee fought a month ago except this one has a human like torso and head with massive pinchers in place of arms. Two barbed tails tried striking the sand but its featureless jaw dropped open and issued a high-pitch shriek that sent more a few dozens pair of eardrums to ring badly. Gaara winced and dropped the large puppet, the sand falling lifelessly as he covered his own ears. He watched with one eye open as the puppet tried to right itself up, legs and tails failing madly that he didn't notice as Sasori rose from the ground with a kunai gleaming in his hand. Walking up to him as quietly as he could he pulled back and made to stab him in the back but was surprised when the sand rose up and ensnared his hand, creeping up along his leg and holding him in place.
"I underestimated you, Gaara-san." He didn't bother with a reply but crotched lower to the ground which sent the sand to fling him into the puppet who had managed to get up onto its legs but it wordlessly caught him, chattering angrily at him. "But, do not underestimate me."
"... Kill him." The sand surged forward, a wave of golden grains hopefully to ensnare them but the puppet seemed to move too quickly, the nin from Suna staying safely on his back as they sought to find a way to get closer. It looked like a mad taste of nature with the elements versus the insects to see who would be king. The sand seemed to have a limit as the scorpion climbed up the walls, still chittering in that high voice of his. Genma was even forced back when the sand tried to ensnare him in its deadly grip. So unless Gaara moved closer and Sasori give up his perch, the match was not going to end anytime soon.
In the stands Naruto was itching to tell his brother to fight but what good would it do? 'He has to be planning something, he still has that smirk like nothing's wrong!' he argued to himself. 'C'mon Gaara, you can beat him!'
The young puppet master seemed perfectly content from where he was perched. What no one knew was this time, instead of attaching the chakra strings to his fingers where he could control the puppet he managed to connect them to certain nerve points on his body. They responded to certain muscle movements but neither of them were moving so they had to move to next plan.
"Is that all you have to offer, Gaara-san?" he asked but the tone made it seem he was mocking him.
'Let me out, boy,' the demon growled at the back of his mind.
'Iie! I can beat him!'
'I will make him bleed and beg for mercy.'
'Yamero yo!'
'You are too weak.'
'I can beat him without your help!'
'Weakling!'
"Damare damare damare!!" he shouted angrily and loudly, making the audience jump. So enraged the gourd seemed to fall apart, the large mound of sand swishing around his form angrily, whip-like appendages surging towards the puppet regardless of distance to crush him. The thing leaped off the wall, using its massive pinchers to knock the sand away but when he was trapped Sasori jumped off to try and escape. However, the sand quickly wrapped around his leg and began to engulf his body but he smirked and his hands formed into the sign.
"Kawarimi no Jutsu." A poof of smoke and in his place was a scroll. It wouldn't have been anything if it wasn't for a paper bomb sealing it shut just as it sparked. There was a loud explosion, covering the arena in dust and smoke but as it cleared, the young boy had fallen to his knees, clutching his burnt and bloodied left arm. The sand released the puppet with a scream but it struggled to reform, to try and crush him.
Naruto could only stare wide-eyed at his brother who looked more pissed than hurt. "What the hell just happened?" he asked in disbelief.
"I-I have no idea," Shiruba whispered, worry evident on her face.
He didn't know what happened. All he remembered was grabbing the other genin who substituted a scroll for his body, but then it exploded with more force than a single paper bomb tag, breaking through the Suna no Tate. The demon inside was angry, demanding blood to be shed and offered to him. "What... did you do?" he seethed as he tried to contain the beast within him.
"The scroll was nothing but a hundred paper bombs rolled together. All I needed to do was ignite one and the rest would follow suit since no one would ever think of doing so," he explained in rather simple terms. He tilted his head to the side, the ever present smirk still gracing his lips. His opponent was in pain and the pain was unstable.
"I surrender."
Everyone was stunned into silence before exploding into outrage. They were shouting for him to finish his opponent off yet the damage was done. Genma proclaimed Gaara the winner and watched as Sasori encircled a scroll around the humanoid scorpion before smearing his blood onto it. The puppet vanished and the scroll was rolled up. Nodding to a still angry Gaara he walked out of the arena.
'Something about that kid that creeps me out,' the jounin thought and made his way to the injured boy. "Hey you need a medic-" If it wasn't for his quick reflexes the sand would have taken his head clean off. The sand wasn't letting anyone near him.
The pale woman frowned but reached up to the transceiver located around the collar around her throat when she heard static in her ear. "Hidama here."
"It's Zabuza. Gaara's not letting anyone near him and the jounins are getting nervous," he replied. "What do we do?"
"Give him a minute. If he doesn't break out of the haze, send Naruto down there."
"Last time we tried that he nearly killed the gaki."
"He won't this time." 'I hope.'
The demon wanted out, still demanding blood but Gaara continued to fight for control, pushing him back and taking control of his body little until he was able to stand on his own two feet. Taking several deep breathes he felt the sand conform around his body but stayed away from his injured arm. Shaking his head lightly he transported himself to the stands and into the caring arms of his siblings.
"Gaara! You okay? You want anything?" Naruto immediately asked as he got the other boy to sit down and try to relax. Haku didn't waste anytime as he went about to try and heal his arm the best he could, using the water in his canteen to sooth the burns before wrapping it up.
"You had us scared for a minute, panda," Shiruba said soothingly as she stroked his hair, brushing her fingertips along his 'ai' tattoo. The sand reacted by lashing at her hand, causing a sand burn but she didn't hold it against him.
"Haku." The feminine young man paused and touched the transmitter he was wearing. "How's he doing?"
"He'll be alright, Zabuza-san. But I'm worried, he's not saying anything, just keeps staring into space."
"Keep an eye on him and report any changes. But don't force him to do anything, no sense trigging anything."
"Alright." Looking up at his brother and sister he nodded and they wordlessly nodded back. There wasn't anything they could do right now except watch over him.
Making sure he had the okay Genma announced the next match. "Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyūga Neji!" The audience cheered and with an overly confident smirk Neji walked down into the arena. Naruto glared angrily at the young man, growling as he remembered how he fought so brutally against his own cousin but forced himself to calm down. "He's going down," he growled.
Haku knew what his brother was thinking and reached out to touch his shoulder. "I want you to promise me something, Naruto. When you go down to fight, forget what he did to Hinata, forget the fact that he tried to kill her, forget how we struggled to save her, and forget the anger you feel at him." Those words were like a blow and he opened his mouth to yell at him but the older teen quickly shook his head. "Right now you want to fight Neji and beat him, to teach him a lesson but you'll end up losing this match. For all his harshness Hinata still loves him and would not want to see him nearly killed in her name. Beat him, because you want to win and be able to become a chunin. Not for vengeance."
"..."
"Promise me, Naruto."
"..." Blue eyes looked away but without saying anything he teleported into the arena. Haku went to the railing and sighed sadly. He looked to his side when he felt an arm loop around his and a head lay on his shoulder. Shiruba didn't say anything but her presence was enough to sooth his nerves even for a bit. He linked his hand with hers and watched as Genma said for the match to begin.
Kiba smirked as he waited for the match to begin. "This will be good," he smirked.
"Naruto-kun..." Hinata said softly, worried,
"Against him, Naruto doesn't stand a chance," Ino said with no regard to Sakura who was sitting next to her. It seemed that no one was having any faith in the young blonde who had spent most of his life traveling with his family.
"For that kid to get this far, he hasn't had any schooling from what I heard," a jounin known as Kotetsu told his friend.
"Hai, for guys who got this far on luck... this is the end of the line," Izumo answered. "That opponent of Naruto's is just too tough, he can't beat the Hyūga." From his side Hinata gave him a dirty look for even saying there about him. But at her side her teammate Kiba just smirked.
'Well, I thought that at first... you'll pay if you underestimate him.'
Down in the arena Naruto was glaring at Neji with so much hate if it was possible the young man would be nothing but a handful of ash but he just smirked as the rage he could see in those brilliant blue eyes.
"Looks like you have something to say," he smirked. The blonde just growled softly and held his fist up to him.
"I told you before... you're definitely going down," he said in a voice laced with anger.
The pale-eyed boy quietly activated his Byakugan and stared at the blonde boy in front of him. He knew nothing about the guy, only that he had originally come form this village but left with his mother only to come back with more members that didn't look a thing like one another. But what he saw in his eyes was something else.
'Eyes of a person who totally believes in himself... there's no doubt in him...' But he just smirked and moved into a position ready to fight. "Hehe... that's what makes it worthwhile... it will be fun to watch you fall apart when you discover reality."
The young genin growled as his lips pulled into a smirk and get ready as well. "Stop all the blabbering!! Let's fight!!"
In the stands Hyūga Hiashi watched his nephew fight along with his younger daughter, Hanabi. He frowned as he noticed the tension and determination all the way from the arena to his seat. "There isn't another who received such thick Hyūga blood, so watch closely, Hanabi," he told his daughter.
"Hai otousan," she answered.
Both genins continued to stare at one another, as though they were contemplating each other's strengths and thinking back to what they had seen of the other's fighting style during the preliminaries. Naruto thought back to when he had gone to his mother during a break from training one day to better under his opponent's bloodline.
"The Byakugan is one of the most powerful kekkei genkai in Konoha, possibly of all the nations, because of its ability to allow the user to see the internal chakra circulation system in their opponents," she explained to him. "It also gives them an almost 360° view of their surroundings; the higher the skill the further the distance which enables them to sense incoming attacks."
"Gaara said that it's similar to pressure points, so if he strikes me I won't be able to attack him?" he asked.
"He'll block the flow of charka so even using Kawarii will be difficult."
'Basically, if I get too close he'll press my points and I won't be able to use jutsus,' he thought to himself. 'So I'll have to try and fight from a distance.' His hands went through the signs as he went through one of his favorite moves. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!!" Immediately four copies of himself appeared and as one they pulled kunais from their pouches, ready to fight.
Sakura smiled from her saw teammate had done. 'Good thinking, Naruto.'
Kotetsu chuckled lightly under his breathe. "Heh, interesting kid." Next to him Izumo was very surprised.
"Kage Bushin is a jounin level jutsu. For him to be able to use it…"
"This fight could be good."
Neji frowned as he recognized the jutsu but even with his gift activated he was having a slight problem. 'I see… his charka is divided evenly among his clones… it's true that even with the Byakugan I can't figure out which is the real one…' Yet he smirked and didn't seem the least bit intimidated. "But, in the end, there's only one true body." Naruto just replied by smirking.
"Stop acting so tough."
"If you're gonna come, then come…"
Tenten smirked from her seat. 'It's useless against Neji's defense.'
The blondes waited a moment before surging forward, weapons held tightly in hand but even as they moved together as one they were no match for the older boy's fighting experience and training. The way he moved was an elegant dance as he jumped and dodged, evading all the strikes. Jumping over two clones he landed in a crotched position but retaliated by kicking the downed clones, sending them flying back. The two other clones charged at his unprotected back, kunais ready to strike but he grabbed their wrists and pulling them forward, rammed his elbows into the underside of their jaws but spinning quickly on his heel, then slammed his palms into their chests with a strong burst of charka, sending them flying. They vanished in poofs of smoke until there was only one left. Everyone in the audience was shocked at what they had just seen, clearly taken back. Even Naruto was taken back but he didn't saw anything as he took a brief moment to come up with a plan. Neji, however, took his silence as a moment of weakness.
"I heard your wish is become hokage. That dream, is impossible for one of your status." More than one person flinched and grew enraged at his accusations. "Talent is decided at your birth… You can say that everything is decided when a person is born."
Blue eyes narrowed dangerously, tiny specks of red flickering in the depths. "Who the hell do you think you are to immediately decide those kinds of things," he growled lowly.
"Then… are you saying that anyone can be hokage through hard work? Only a handful of shinobi are chosen for that honor. Look closer at reality!" he yelled angrily. "Those that become hokage are born into that destiny. You don't become it by trying, it is decided by destiny. People must live in their own unchangeable flow… There, is only one destiny that everyone shares… and it is death…" At this point his eyes held a sad look that spoke of experiencing said destiny first-hand.
"…….." Naruto was silent but the anger was slowly ebbing away. He still believed in his words but to talk of death being the only destiny everyone shares and to have that sad and pitiful look in his eyes showed he knew noting of real destiny. But the memory of Neji's fight against Hinata came forth, remembering how he brutally attacked his cousin, insulting her when she was trying to help him, how worried Haku became when her heart stopped, how sad she seemed when she spoke of her family. His eyes shut tightly, fingers curling tightly as his fists shook but as his eyes opened they were flickering with fire red flecks.
"I will never give up," he said with a cold and hard tone before summoning a small army of clones and attacked.
--
At the academy Iruka paused in the middle of his lecture and looked out the window. He knew the chunin exams were well under way but he couldn't help but worry about Naruto. The blonde was a lot like him when he was his age but he also knew that it was a good thing that Hidama did take him away when she did. He was so open and sure he was loud and crude at times he didn't hide it away like he used to.
'But his opponent is Neji,' he thought to himself as he sighed deeply. 'Be careful Naruto, onegai.'
Konohamaru noticed that his teacher wasn't paying attention and leaned over to whisper to his friends Udon and Moegi. "Hey! Iruka-sensei isn't paying attention. Let's go skip the rest of class!" he grinned at them, thinking he had gotten away.
The scarred chunin whirled and leveled a glare at his students. "I heard that, Konohamaru! Just for that, everyone put your stuff away and pull out a clean piece of paper. Its time for a pop quiz and you can all thank you classmate!" The whole class groaned and a few pelted the "honorable grandson" with paper balls and flying pencils.
--
Neji seemed to dance as he ran through the army of blonde, blue-eyed boys dressed in bright orange, striking them one by one when they tried to attack him but his target was clear to him. 'I know where he true body is,' he thought to himself as he moved faster and finally broke through, heading straight for one boy that was standing a bit away, a surprised look on his face. Dodging a strike he skidded to a halt and jabbed his first two fingers into a certain opening in the other boy's charka network with the right amount of pressure. He smirked at the pained sound that escaped his lips and the clones vanished one by one.
"H-How…?" he asked, gasping for air.
"You feared having your points pressed and so thought to stay back while your clones did all the fighting, but that was your mistake," he answered. "But you seemed to have forgotten, my Byakugan sees everything around me." He pulled back and watched as his opponent doubled out and choked out a mouthful of blood. "And that is why you will lose."
"Naruto!!" Haku said worriedly where Shiruba gripped his hand tightly.
"It's over…" Kotetsu smirked.
Naruto struggled to breathe, clutching the area where he had been jabbed but gave a growl/chuckle. "You sound like a broken record, pal…"
"!!"
"If you don't shut up," he lifted his head and smirked, revealing sharp canines with blood dripping down his jaw; "I'm gonna tear your tongue out." And he vanished in a puff of smoke.
"A bunshin?!" He looked around and watched as two suddenly appeared and charged at him, fists raised high.
"Yeah!! Go Naruto!!" Kiba howled out to him.
"I don't believe it!"
'How did he know what I was going to do?!'
"Prepare to lose, pal!!"
'Neji…!!'
He saw the fists coming but smirked and suddenly seemed to invisibly surround her body in charka that "caught" the fists. "Hakkeshou Kaiten!!" Spinning rapidly in place like a human top the charka spread and sent the two blondes to go flying and skidding away from him. One of them vanished in smoke and the other grunted when he finally gave to a stop. When Neji stopped spinning there was a small crater with him in the dead center. He didn't seem the least bit dizzy. Naruto, on the other hand, was not pleased.
"N-Nani…!?"
He looked up with a superior smug gracing his pale lips. "You seriously though… you had won?" he taunted.
'How can it be…?' Hiashi asked, a frown marring his otherwise stoic features.
Sakura and Ino were both shocked as well. ""What the?!"
"Naruto's punch should have connected!!"
Hinata coughed softly into her hand, silent worry in her eyes. 'That was…'
'… Kaiten… the Heavenly Spin…'
Tenten laughed to herself, immensely proud of her teammate. 'Hehe… that's Neji's defense… Thanks to his Byakugan he can see all around himself and sense all of is opponent's attacks. Only then will his defense system kick in!'
Had anyone taken a closer look they would have noticed that the young Hyūga had released a large amount of charka right before the fists managed to touch him but what no one would have noticed was that he had released the charka via his openings throughout his own body. He then began to spin his body like a toy and used the charka to blast the attacks away from his body. The different from a jounin and a Hyūga using this attack would have been that jounins could only release and control charka openings from his hand or even leg while it was doing the technique but for the Hyūga clan who have mastered the taijutsu Jūken Ryū, they are able to release charka from their entire body and knock away any physical attack from touching them. However, this technique was highly secretive and only taught to very selective members even among the clan.
Hanabi was more than shocked as she recognized only one person who used that jutsu. "Otousan, that's your…"
"Kaiten is the Hyūga Main Family's special technique that is only passed down to the heirs of the Hyūga house," he explained but he refused to let on to the fact that he was very surprised--and worried. 'To master it on his own… he truly has earned the title of the Hyūga genius.'
Uzumaki grunted as he forced himself to stand, dragging his sleeve over his mouth to clean up the blood from earlier. "Damn," he hissed. He didn't expect anything like that but he couldn't lose. Not to some stuck up brat who constantly preached about destiny and all that cramp that he didn't believe in.
"It's over…" Pale, nearly colorless eyes slide close at this. "You are within my Hakke." Through his eyes he saw how his opponent was within his divination field of attack. Slowly he moved his body into the battle ready stance that caused his uncle to blanch. "Jūken Ryū,Hakke Rokujuuyonshou."
'That stance… it can't be…'
A powerful surge of charka and moving so quickly he seemed like a blur he struck. "Hakke 2 Palms!"
"Guh!!"
"4 Hands! Eight Hands!!"
"Gua!!"
"16 Hands!! 32 Hands!! 64 Hands!!"
It would be hard to describe what everyone saw during that fight but the ferocity that he delivered in his strikes seemed like nothing but the same could not be said for the young blonde. A total of 126 strikes hit him in such rapid succession he barely had time to cry out in pain at having all 64 tenketsu forcefully closed. Of that moment, all of his charka was now locked away.
"Guh!!" He grunted as he fell backwards, tumbling head over heels until he finally came to a stop. In the stands his teammates, friends, and family watched in horror and disbelief. The look on Genma's face showed that he thought this match was over and was disappointed. Hiashi was, impressed.
'Such natural talent… for the brilliant blood of the Hyūga to be flowing within a child that cannot become an heir… Hizashi…'
Neji slowly straightened as he watched his opponent wither on the ground before him. "I have hit all the charka openings on your body, you can no longer stand." Naruto couldn't say anything except groan in pain as he forced his body to roll onto his knees but it was too painful. "Is it painful? Stay on our knees before a power you cannot change and realize your worthlessness. Having dreams come true through hard work… is an illusion."
"…….."
Hinata couldn't hold it back anymore and doubled over, coughing hard into her hand. Next to her Kiba asked if she was alright but she couldn't answer him. The coughing hut as it rocked her body into painful spasms.
"… He can't lose… Naruto-kun, can't lose… this is just a nightmare!!" Shiruba cried as she dropped to her knees, hitting her head as she yelled at herself to wake up. Haku was frozen where he stood but he was inwardly begging him to get up. Even Zabuza and Hidama were quelling the urge to help him and skin the brat on the spot.
His body was in so much pain it hurt to blink much less try and stand or even breathe. He could hear his sister crying out and tried to get up but it just hurt so much. 'Damn it…' Memories of Lee and Hinata's bleeding forms after their matches. 'Damn it…' Much to the shock of everyone, he ignored the pain and pushed his body to stand.
The Hyūga was shocked. "Impossible…!"
The young heiress couldn't hold back and doubled over in a violent coughing fit, blood spraying from her mouth and into her hand. Her teammates Kiba and Shino stared in horror as she couldn't to cough loudly, the two jounins watching in disbelief.
"I knew it! You haven't healed from you fight!" the Inuzuka nearly shouted as Shino made sure she didn't fall out of her seat. "She needs a doctor!"
"I'll take a look." An ANBU stood in the isle, wearing a black cloak with a hood pulled over his head and a white cat mask with back markings. Both boys looked up at him but he reached over and lifted Hinata into his arms. Both her teammates followed as he walked away from the audience and into a hall out to the side.
In the arena, Uzumaki Naruto managed to stand on his feet and although he was clearly in pain he refused to back down. "I told you… I'm not giving up," he seethed angrily.
"Quit already… continuing won't change anything. I have no grudge against you."
"That may be… but I have one against you."
"…….. What do you mean?"
"For someone who says he's so strong you are weak!" he growled angrily. "You abused Hinata-chan, the only member of your family that cares about you like she's your worse enemy. You insult her, beat her up, humiliate her with no remorse! Bad enough her own damn father belittles her just because she's not a ruthless killer and her younger sister doesn't so much as talk to her, and you, her own cousin, has tried to kill her in front of the whole fucking village!!" He paused and panted for breathe, eyes flickering from blue to red to mach his growing rage. "She is a wonderful girl and I can see how happy she is with my brother, how she glows and looks so pretty! Main family… Branch family… I know something bad happened and I don't want to know but you people are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. You're so busy putting each other down… the Hyūga clan is nothing but a bunch of pathetic losers yourselves. Pieces of shit like you all… I will never forgive!!"
Basically Naruto just verbally slapped everyone in the face and he had no regret in it. In fact, there were quite a few people who were actually nodding in agreement! The animosity in such a powerful family had been going on for much too long and it was about time for someone to say something about it. Neji was shocked still and didn't know what to do. Sure he was sorely pissed at being verbally attacked but a tiny part of his rational thinking as agreeing with everything. But he broke out of and attacked with a fast and powerful open-palm strike to the chest, throwing him back.
"You could never understand what it's like to be burdened with a symbol you could never get rid of!!" he shouted angrily, startling even himself.
Hidama was emotionless but she kept her eyes solely on her son. 'You're wrong, Hyūga. My kit knows more about a being branded a symbol more than you can ever know. Even though I saved him from a decade of hurtful loneliness and wrongful hatred he still can't escape his brand but unlike you, he's accepted it.'
He just pulled himself to his feet, holding his chest tightly and looked at him with slightly dazed eyes and blood pulling from his mouth. "You're wrong…" he wheezed. "I know exactly… what it feels like… to be branded, as something I didn't have a say in… but you know what?" He smirked. "I don't care… and that's what will make you lose."
"!!"
"It doesn't matter how much your life sucks because there will always be someone with a worse life than yours, so get over it."
Meanwhile, the ABNU's hand continued to glow rightly with healing charka and under the worried/watchful gaze of her teammates Hinata's face relaxed and resumed its normal coloring. Kiba sighed in relief and even Shino relaxed when she saw she was no longer in danger. Now, she was sleeping peacefully.
She'll be alright now… but she won't be able to watch the rest of the matches," he told them quietly. Already warning bells were going off in their head but they were no slow to react. Moving quickly the ABU stroke the two boys and puppy with his still glowing hands and struck them with his still glowing hands. There didn't give a warning as they collapsed to the floor in a deep sleep. After a while the charka died out and the ABNU pulled them into the shadow of the hall before leaving them alone.
Neji was sill fuming and it was taking all he had not to attack and kill him in a blind rage. "How can you continue to fight with all your charka openings closed? You have lost and destiny has written it so," he said in a tight voice. Sadly Naruto couldn't in fact, feel even a drop of his natural charka left. It was just like during training-
His eyes widen. This was just like that month, only this time his own natural charka had been locked away but unlike his arrogant opponent, he had two charka sources. He shut his eyes tightly and called out to the only being to help him right now.
'Onegai Kyūbi-sama… give me your power… '
"... Examiner, if you don't stop the match right now I will kill him," he said with such cold hatred.
"Pft..."
Tanned hands clasped each other tightly, concentrating. 'I can't lose this match!!'
"It's useless. All your openings have been pressed. You have lost."
A cruel smirk and an air of superior arrogance crossed his face. "Let me asked you one thing before I defeat you… why do you deny destiny so much?"
"Because…" Eyes opened and glared at him with such intense determination. "… I'm branded with a symbol I can never escape from, even in death. But unlike you, I know destiny is never carved in stone--or in blood of the innocent."
"!!"
"Haaaaaaaaa!!" Must to the disbelief of everyone watching, an aura of fire red charka slowly enveloped his body, growing little b little s it whipped around his body. One by one every bruise and wound healed under there was nothing but flawless skin left in its place. From where he stood, Zabuza's lips twitched as he recognize the pressure.
'Looks like he finally made a powerful ally,' he thought to himself. Hidama was thinking along the same lines but she was worried.
'Don't lose control, Naruto... you can do this.'
Neji's eyes almost bulged free from his skull as his Byakugan saw his points being opened one by one. 'Im-Impossible... charka is flowing out... what's going on...? Who...' H saw what looked the image of a huge fox-like creature that looked directly into his eyes and released a torrent of killing intent solely at him, making him heart freeze in his chest and take a step back. What was that power he felt just right now?
Hiashi frowned, knowing only one place this charka could have come from. 'It can't be... This charka...' Even the two jounins, Izumo and Kotetsu, were shocked at this new development.. The kazekage's eyes widened as he noticed the increase in charka of the young boy and Sarutobi couldn't help but worry.
'The feeling of this charka... this is definitely that of Kyūbi no Kitsune... he learned to control it...?'
Very thing tendrils of charka could be seen but to Neji, all he could see was the charka taking form of the same beast now standing above the boy, nine tails lashing the air and fangs bared to tear him to bloody ribbons. Naruto didn't flinch or even notice the beast created from this powerful charka as his eyes opened, the deep blue depths holding clips of blood red.
"Here I come!!"
"Uh-!!"
Everyone watched with eyes wide and mouths gapped open at the sight of the boy they didn't see any hope of winning disappear from his position only to reappear in the air above the Hyūga prodigy. Reaching into his pouch he unleashed a hand full of shurikens. None of them made a mark as Neji quickly performed the Kaiten, catching each and every one before sending them after its owner but he was moving much too fast to be seen much less caught; this match was far from over. Little did Naruto realize this was similar to the time when the genin tried to kill his foster father-figure during the mission gone wrong. The difference was his time he was in control of the situation and he was using this demonic charka to his advantage. Kunais in hand they charged repeatedly at one another, charka clashing in a fierce fight of power. The fight had now come to a close combat match but as it fought along there was a large explosion and everyone was temporarily blinded. As the smoke and dust cleared, two deep craters were in the middle of a much larger crater and Genma, was at a loss.
"... H-Haku-kun... who won?" Shiruba asked softly.
"..." He could only shake his head, a loss for words. Who did win?
A rumble and a hand tried to pull their body out--only to reveal Neji. Coughing and staggering he walked to the other crater where a knocked-out Naruto lay in the bottom, barely breathing. The silver-haired girl choked out a sob at the state her brother was in.
He struggled to walk over to the crater, breathing hard and finding nearly no charka left but he had won. "... I have no idea where you got that charka from, but thanks to the Kaiten I was able to push back not only your weapons but your charka as well... in the end, destiny was correct in proclaiming me the winner..." he panted, still smirking but he was thrown back when he saw the rumble shift beneath his feet a moment too late and watched as his defeated opponent burst through the ground and punch him beneath the jaw hard enough for his teeth to crack and blood to spurt out. He landed on his back with a painful slam and found what was left of his strength gone.
"...My body... but how?" He was able to turn his head to the side and watched as the body he had thought to be Naruto vanished. It had just been a clone. He had--lost.
Genma smirked as he noticed the hole the blonde had burst from and the fact that his nails were broken and his fingertips were bleeding, realizing the kid had made a tunnel at the last second and was just biding his time. 'Even when injured, to believe in victory and think ahead... the power to believe in yourself... that becomes the power to change destiny.' He chuckled lightly under his breathe. 'He understands that... and it comes naturally to him...'
Naruto panted for air, ignoring the sting of his wounds as he looked down at Neji. All the rage was gone and he felt so incredibly tired. Around him he could hear everyone scream for him to kill the boy but he ignored them all and caught his eyes. "... I never cared about destiny or faith or anything like that... all I believed, was in my family... we're all branded with a symbol and so many people hate us for different reasons..." He winced when he walked a few steps and continued to look down at him. "When I become hokage...I'll change the Hyūga tradition of hatred."
"...!"
"That's a promise of a lifetime."
"Heh... winner, Uzumaki Naruto!!" The crowd exploded into cheers as everyone began clapping and shouting down encouragement to one rather startled genin.
"That was incredible!!"
"That as great!!"
Great fight, shrimp!!"
He blinked as he looked around and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. He still wasn't so used to such large amounts of praise from strangers but it still felt good. He managed to catch the eyes of his parents and waved. Though they didn't wave back he knew they were very proud of him.
"Naruto!!"
"Huh-" He was nearly tackled to the ground as Shiruba charged up towards him and hugged him so tightly he gasped in pain. "Shiruba-ane..."
"You jerk!!" She pulled back and hit him hard in the shoulder, tears streaming down her face. "I thought I was gonna lose you, baka!!" Her eyes were so red from crying she hugged him tightly once more. Sobbing into the collar of his coat. In the stands Haku smiled softly, glad they were alright.
Sakura smiled as she looked down at him. She could hear other kuniochi praise him and even say how cute he was. 'He keeps getting stronger each time he fights... I'm--kind of... jealous of you...'
Ino blinked and looked over at her best friend. 'What's wrong, Sakura?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing." But she refused to stop smiling.
"Whoa!! He won!!" This was possible one of the few times Nara Shikamaru had ever been so surprised in his young--and lazy--life. Seriously? I thought he was a lazy-ass type like me!!" He sighed and leaned over with his elbows on his knees. "There's no way I can beat him now..."
"To pull out the nine-tails charka without losing himself..." Kurenai breathed.
Asuma just nodded. "Hai... most of Konoha here are surprised."
'To be able to use the kitsune's power and control it in such a stable state... when did he learn...' The hokage looked up at the pale woman standing next to him. "Hidama." She didn't say anything but gave the briefest of nods. He just returned the gesture and sat back.
Down below Neji was still kicking himself for losing to such a fool and even though he knew the medics ere coming he just wanted to die
"Even a captured bird... If it's lever enough, will try to open the cage with its beak."
He looked over at Genma as he paused and looked over at him from the corner of his eye.
"Never giving up its desire to freely fly in the sky."
"..." He didn't say anything as the medics arrived and loaded him onto the stretcher before taking him to the med bay to be taken care of. Naruto and Shiruba both made it up to the stands where Haku congratulated his brother but Gaara... still refused to say anything. He sighed and looked up as the screen revealed the next match...
Author's Notes: I know, it has taken me a long time to get this up but I am very happy that this is done. Its taken a while and I've been racking my brain through this and how to describe the fighting but yeah, I know a lot of it doesn't make sense but please wait as it shall be revealed in due time. I don't know when the next match will be posted but seriously, answer this question. Who should win in the next match: Haku or Temari?
Kugutsu: Puppetry
Yamero yo!: Shut up!
Damare damare damare!!: Shut up shut up shut up!!
Suna no Tate: Shield of Sand
Hakkeshou Kaiten: Eight Divination Palms of the Hand, Heavenly Spin
Kaiten: Heavenly Spin
Jūken Ryū,Hakke Rokujūyonshou: Gentle Fist Style, Eight Divination Signs, Sixty-Four Palms of the Hand